Public
opinion on asylum seekers in Britain has been shaped by the worst possible
images: of young men, with their faces masked, breaking out of the French
asylum centre at Sangatte, risking life and limb to make their way through
the Channel Tunnel; of local communities in bitter protest at the Home Office's
decision to create asylum accommodation centres in their midst without due
consultation; of a grossly inefficient and poorly managed Government service,
the National Asylum Support Service (NASS), wasting public funds in the most
obvious manner.

Origin of UK Asylum Applicants

Asylum is a complex issue with moral, legal, economic and a host of other
dimensions. However the opportunity for a well-rounded public debate has been
hemmed in, both by a tabloid press seeking the sensational headline and politicians
playing to a perceived populist gallery. The Daily Express, with a daily circulation
of over 850,000, in November 2001 ran the headline, 'Refugees are flooding
into the UK like ants'.

On the one hand, racist attacks and even murder of asylum seekers has reinforced
the negative stereotypes for the man in the street - asylum means trouble.
However the Right has spoiled the opportunity for a reasoned and balanced
public discourse on the subject. The British National Party, though minuscule
in numbers, has entrapped the mainstream politicians to match their anti-immigration
and anti-asylum tone and language, though there is a tradition of illiberalism
in Labour Home Secretaries, from the time of Merlyn Rees (1976-79), who introduced
the hated 'virginity tests' on Asian women arriving to marry their fiancées!
The present Home Secretary David Blunkett's reference in April 2002 to local
schools being 'swamped' by the children of asylum seekers, was evocative of
Enoch Powell's graphic anti-immigration 'rivers of blood' speeches in the
late 1960s.

Today,
Britain ranks 9th amongst EU countries in terms of asylum seekers
per head of population - with 1.7 asylum seekers per 1,000 national
population. The majority of asylum seekers flee to neighbouring
countries - Iran hosts 1.9 million refugees and Pakistan hosts
2 million.

In
2001 Britain received 72,000 asylum applications, and accepted
around 50%. Earlier this year the Government presented to Parliament
a White Paper, 'Secure Borders, Safe Haven - Integration with
diversity in Modern Britain', with proposals to change asylum
procedures and introduce new controls, such as biometric smart
cards.

Various factors, some spurious and others justifiable, has made Asylum emerge
as a large blip on the radar screen of public consciousness.It is necessary
to address these concerns, recognise genuine problems and dismiss the myths.
Asylum seekers to Britain are driven by 'push' and 'pull' factors. 'Push'
factors are human rights abuses, war and repression; 'Pull' factors are language,
family ties and work opportunities. Much has been made of the lax benefits
regime in the UK, which supposedly acts as a magnet. The reality is that in
Britain asylum seekers are not allowed to claim mainstream welfare benefits.
A single adult receives about £40 per week - 30% below the poverty line.

The Home Office is currently undertaking a 12-month study entitled "An
Evaluation of Access to Early Legal Advice and Representation in the Asylum
Determination Process". Asylum is likely to remain in the public eye and
a focus of government attention. The aim of this Theme of the Month is to
provide a point of reference on key facets of the Asylum debate.